Donna? It's Me
by Serenity's Lady
Summary: Donna tries to spend the day with her mother, but the Doctor make that very difficult. A little bit of fluff with some angst thrown in for good measure.


**Disclaimer: The Doctor and Donna kindly allow me to lark about with them, the dears.**

**A/N: There are references to events in a previous story "The Oldavé Incident". **

**Warning: There is a tiny, brief, 'blink-and-you-may-miss-it' less-than-favourable comment regarding Rose. It seems silly to even mention it, but I've been burned before. Hence the warning.**

The TARDIS had only been Earth-bound a few minutes when the mobile in Donna Noble's pocket started ringing. She knew immediately who it was, and she didn't need the distinctive "Ghostbusters" ringtone to identify him either. Sighing heavily, she tapped the "Talk" button with her fingertip and said, "Yes, Time Boy?"

The Doctor let out his held breath into the phone. "Donna! Hi! It's me."

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. Who else would be calling me?"

"Oh, ah, right," he stammered.

She waited for him to continue. When nothing further was forthcoming from the other end of the phone, she said, shortly, "Well? Did you need something?"

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I was just checking to make sure you were all right."

She sighed. "Doctor, I just walked out of the TARDIS, which is parked in my mum's back garden. Exactly how much trouble do you think could get into walking the hundred metres to the house?"

She could hear him shuffling uncomfortably. "Well," he drawled, "you know as well as I do how dangerous a place Earth is. There's all manner of nefarious creatures lurking about."

She barked out a laugh. "What? Afraid I'll be attacked by a garden gnome or something? Silly Martian. I'm fine. In fact, I've just opened the door and walked in. So, you can stop worrying."

"I'll never stop worrying about you, Donna," he said sincerely. "You mean too much to me."

Donna's heart did that little fluttery thing that always happened when he expressed his feelings for her. It had taken her a while to get used to it. She smiled and said, "You're very sweet. Daft, but sweet. I'm hanging up now," and ended the call before he could say another word.

Dropping her things on a convenient side table, she made her way into the house, calling out as she did, "Mum? I'm here."

Sylvia Noble stepped out into the hall and greeted her daughter with a hug. "Where's His Lordship?" she asked, looking around the empty hallway.

Donna laughed as she followed her mother into the lounge. "Oh, he _said_ he had repairs to do. Personally, I think he's afraid of you. Scared you're going to hurt him or something."

"What?" Sylvia scoffed. "Whatever would give him _that_ idea?"

"Well, Mum, you did sort of threaten him with an axe."

"Nonsense," she replied. "I wouldn't have actually used it. Besides, that was before, well ..." she stammered a bit. "Things are different now."

Donna put a hand on her mother's arm. "That they are. Don't worry, Mum. I'm working on him. He _did_ agree to come in for dinner tonight, after all."

Sylvia nodded and sighed. "It's a start, I suppose."

A little over a hour later, Donna and Sylvia were sitting on the settee in the lounge, surrounded by shoe boxes, sorting through old photographs. Donna had decided to put together an album of pictures and mementos of her life to share with the Doctor. She thought it would bring them that much closer if he knew more about her, and might - if she were lucky - encourage him to open up to her about his past.

"Oh. My. God!" Donna squealed, staring at the photograph in her hand. "Really? Lime green and shocking pink paisley leggings?! Mum! What were you thinking? How could you let me go out wearing that?!" she demanded, brandishing the offending picture and waving it at her mother.

"_Let you_?" Sylvia retorted, rolling her eyes. "When did I ever have a say in anything you did, Madam? As a four year old, you already knew your own mind. By twelve, you were impossible!"

"Well, that outfit could have been considered child abuse!" They both laughed. Dropping the photo quickly into the discard box, she stated firmly, "_That's_ one he's not going to see. I'd never hear the end of it."

As Donna picked up another photo, her breath caught in her throat and she held it out for her mother to see. Sylvia's eyes misted a bit as she saw the people in the photo: a _very_ young Wilfred Mott holding the hand of his beautiful but equally young bride Eileen. It was a copy of the larger one that had stood on her father's bedside table for as long as she could remember. Smiling wistfully, she turned to her daughter and said, "You know, I wore that veil at my wedding."

Donna had a feeling she knew what her mother's next question was going to be, and she was right.

"Do you think you and he will ever …?" Sylvia's voice trailed off as she saw the pained look on her daughter's face.

"Oh, Mum, don't start," she groaned. "Between the two of us, we have enough baggage to fill a carousel at Heathrow!"

"But you love him, don't you? I know he loves you. Even _I_ can see the way he looks at you." She put the photo down and took Donna's hands. "I really only want you to be happy. He _does _make you happy, am I right?"

Donna's eyes sparkled. "More than you could possibly imagine, Mum."

Sylvia looked at her intently. "Are you ... ? Have the two of you ... ?"

It took a moment for Donna to understand what her mother was asking, and it was the tell-tale pink tingeing of her cheeks that made it clear. She sat for a moment, trying to decide how to answer. For all her teasing him about learning the "secret of the universe", their physical relationship hadn't actually progressed further than fevered kisses on the settee in the lounge, Donna touching the Doctor's bare chest under his unbuttoned shirt, his long fingers delicately stroking the skin of her back under her jumper.

Sighing, she squeezed Sylvia's hand. "No, Mum," she replied. "Not yet, anyway."

Donna's eyes shot open when her mother responded, "Well, for goodness sake, why not? Oh, don't look at me like that, Missy. I know how liberal things are today. Besides," she said, the blush back on her cheeks. "I was young once, you know. I'm not so far gone I don't remember what it was like."

Donna's respect and admiration for her mother rose sharply. She shook her head and replied, "It's complicated. We're best mates, him and me. You have to understand. He hasn't had a best friend since his school days, and I don't think I've _ever _had one, not really. Certainly not as an adult. So this friendship is really important. I think we're both afraid that moving to another level may muck it all up."

Sylvia studied her daughter with an unusual compassion. "It's good to know you're both taking things slowly and thinking it through. Don't fret, love. If it's real, and I truly think it is, you'll have nothing to worry about." She leaned over and hugged Donna. Sitting back, she continued, "I'm proud of you both and a little surprised, if I'm honest. I would never have imagined _he'd_ have that kind of restraint!"

'_Aaaaand there she is,'_ Donna thought with an mental roll of her eyes. At that moment, the slightly strained silence was broken by the ringing of her mobile. Getting up to answer it, she went into the hall for a semblance of privacy. "Doctor?" she spoke quietly into the phone. "Everything alright?"

She heard him breathe a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone before he spoke. "Oh, Donna. I am so sorry, but you have to cut your visit short."

She was immediately concerned, the tone of his voice sounding so desperate. "What's happened?"

"I told you that I had to rebuild the Temporal Biofeed Generator, which, as you know, requires disassembling the internal quadrafield modulators and replacing the microstatic radiation filaments."

"The point, Spaceman?!" Exasperated, she interrupted, knowing he would go on forever if she didn't.

"Well, I was right in the middle of taking out the …"

"Doctor!" she hissed. "What do you need?!"

"Ah. Yes. Okay." He took a deep breath and continued. "I can't find my laser spanner anywhere and I really need you to come help me look for it."

"Laser spanner?"

"Yes! I can't complete the repairs without it. So you have to come back and help me find it. Right now."

Donna tried to contain her disappointment and annoyance at the change in her plans. "Isn't there another tool you could use? You promised me an entire day with my Mum."

"I know I did. And I'm sorry. So, so sorry." The Doctor tried to sound completely sincere. "The laser spanner is essential. I can't complete the repairs without it. If I don't find it, we could be stuck here on Earth for days, maybe months! Neither of us want that, do we?"

She rubbed her forehead with one hand and then glanced back into the lounge where her mother sat. The day had been going so well, and they seemed to be making progress on mending their strained relationship. She was afraid of losing what they'd gained if she abruptly left now.

As she stood there, pacing the hall, she had a sudden _'wait a minute'_ moment. "Doctor?" she asked slowly. "Did you say laser _spanner_?"

There was a slight pause before he answered. "Yeah."

Donna bit her lip to keep her anger in check. "Would this be the same laser spanner you told me was stolen in the 1900s by Emmeline Pankhurst?!"

There was dead silence for several moments. Then the Doctor replied quietly, "I told you about that?"

"Yes, you did." She sighed. "Doctor, why are you doing this? I need this time with my mother. If you really are in desperate straits, of course I'll come back. But ..."

"No, no, no," he interrupted her. "You're right. I'm sorry. I promised you the day. I'm just being selfish." He paused again, weighing in his mind whether he wanted to tell her the real issue, Finally, he stated softly, "I miss you, is all."

Donna's heart fluttered again and every speck of anger evaporated. "You silly prawn," she said fondly. "It's only been a few hours. Tell you what. I'll come get you for dinner around five. Now get on with you. Go put the TARDIS back together and stop tormenting the poor dear."

The Doctor realized that he had lost this round and decided to bow out gracefully. "I shall. I'll see you later then." He was about to hang up when he remembered something important. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Donna! One more thing."

"Yes?" she asked wearily.

"I love you."

Donna closed her eyes as a tiny bit of moisture formed. "I love you too, you mad Martian," she whispered, then closed her mobile and walked back into the lounge.

Sylvia was sorting through photos, trying to look like she hadn't been listening in. As Donna sat down next to her, she casually asked, "So what did he want now?"

Donna eyed her mother, suspecting that she had heard more than she was letting on. "Oh, he just feels a little lost when he's by himself."

Sylvia huffed, "Honestly, for someone who is as old as you _say_ he is, he seems a bit overly dependent on you."

"Mum. Really. Trust me. He rubbish on his own."

Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "From whereI'm sitting, it looks like he has you at his beck and call," she sniped.

"Oh, like I'd let him get away with _that _for very long," Donna answered her mother with a sly grin. "I learned from the best."

Slightly mollified, Sylvia stated firmly, "I just don't want anyone taking advantage of my daughter."

Donna laughed. "No chance of that. Seriously, though, Mum. He treats me like a queen."

"As it should be," was the haughty reply. "Now, let's see what else we want to show your young man."

It was nearly half-two when Donna opened the boot of the car and deposited the three bags of groceries. As she opened the driver's-side door, the muffled sound of her mobile caught her attention. Reaching in, she grabbed the jacket she had left in a heap on the passenger seat while she shopped. Rummaging through the pockets, she finally found the mobile and started for a moment at the unfamiliar number. Cautiously, she hit 'Talk'.

She barely got the word _'hello' _out before a breathless voice cried, "Donna? Oh, Donna! Thank the gods you answered!"

"Doctor?" Donna asked, confused. "What's wrong? Where are you calling from? What is this number?"

"That's the TARDIS' number," the Doctor explained, as his respiratory system returned to normal. "I tried several times to call you using my mobile and you didn't answer, so I thought perhaps there was something wrong with it. So I tried hers."

Donna looked at the screen and saw the _'7 missed calls' _and _'5 new text messages'_ notifications at the top. She shook her head and clenched her teeth briefly to rein in her annoyance. "I'm sorry. I was buying groceries for dinner tonight, and I left my mine in the car."

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "When I couldn't get you on the TARDIS phone either, I was so worried that something had happened to you, I even ..." he trailed off, suddenly uncertain he wanted to reveal just how desperate he had felt.

"You ...? What?" she asked, intrigued and concerned at the same time.

The Doctor paused. "I knocked on your mother's door," he answered quietly. "I don't think she likes me very much."

Donna stifled the giggle that threatened to bubble out, imagining that scene. "Oh, her bark is much worse than her bite, believe me. She's actually starting to come around, I think."

"Really?" he asked. "You think so?" He didn't sound at all convinced.

"Yes, I do. Now, what was so urgent that you simply _**had**_ to call me?" She added, under her breath, "Repeatedly."

"Well, firstly I wanted to let you know that, despite the lack of a laser spanner, I _was_ able to make the repairs to the TARDIS. It took far longer that it should have, since you weren't there to help me, you know," he said with a bit of a pout in his voice.

"Oh, when have I ever helped you with your tinkering?" She wasn't going to let him get away with trying to make her feel guilty.

"Lots of times," he quickly responded.

"Yeah? Name one."

"Just last week. When we got caught up in that sandstorm on Titan. I was trying to suction out the bits that had gotten into her workings and you stood right there beside me, assisting," he stated proudly.

Donna snorted. "That's because you had never worked a vacuum cleaner in your life and had it in reverse, blowing the sand back in deeper, you prawn."

"That's as may be, but you _do_ help me a lot, handing me tools and talking to me, keeping me focused on the task at hand."

'_That's because you'd never get anything finished and we'd be stuck floating around the Vortex otherwise," _she thought, but wisely didn't say aloud. "So was that it? You called because you wanted to tell me you'd finished the repairs?"

"No, that was just by way of explanation. So, after I finished, I was all hot and dusty, so I thought I'd have a swim."

Donna was momentarily distracted by the sudden image of a sweaty, bare-chested Doctor in pinstriped swimming trunks. They hadn't been to the pool together since they had gotten back from the convention on Ganymede XII, so she had not had to deal with her reaction to a practically naked Time Lord. She was just glad they were having this conversation over the phone, so he couldn't see her cheeks flame with embarrassment and a touch of pure, honest lust.

She was startled out of her musings when the voice in her ear called her name, rather stridently. "What?" she replied. "Sorry. What did you say?"

The Doctor huffed. "I was telling you that my swim was rather unsatisfactory because there was no one there to time my laps."

"Oh, please. I'm sure the TARDIS would have done it for you, had you asked her nicely," Donna remarked.

"She's more judgmental than you are," he explained petulantly.

Donna snorted. "You mean she doesn't ignore it when you try to cheat, like I do. So is that it? You called me _seven times_ to whinge at me about not having an audience?"

"No!" he exclaimed, sounding thoroughly affronted. "I called to find out if you were coming back … to have lunch with me."

Donna's heart skipped a beat at the almost pleading tone of his voice. She had joked with her mother about him being rubbish on his own, but she was beginning to think that he really was distressed by this enforced separation. Still, she couldn't let him have his way every time. Steeling herself, she said sincerely, "Oh, I'm sorry. I've already eaten. And I've got to bring these groceries to Mum and get dinner started."

"So what do _I_ do then?" he pouted.

'_He's a bloody four-year-old!'_ "What _you_ do, dear, is march yourself into the kitchen and open the refrigerator. Inside you'll find a pitcher of fresh lemonade, and two Black Forest ham and cheddar cheese sandwiches on that rustic bread from Aberdeen you like so much. There are crisps in the cupboard and there may even be a few Hob Nobs left in the tin. Did you really think I'd leave on your own to starve?" she told him affectionately.

The Doctor felt decidedly silly. "No. You take better care of me than I deserve. I'm sorry to keep bothering you. Forgive me?"

"Of course, I do. But listen. It's only little while longer. Can you please leave off calling? I promise I'll come for you as soon as I can. And," she dropped her voice and continued conspiratorially, "if you're very, very good, there'll be spice cake with banana crème icing."

There was a long pause. "That is blackmail," he finally stated. "Pure and simple."

She grinned. "Is it working?"

"Oh, yes!" he answered with enthusiasm.

"Blimey, you're easy. Now I've got to run, or Mum'll think I've run off with the greengrocer."

"She'd probably prefer that," he grumbled under his breath.

"I heard that," she said. Turning off her phone, she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

The two women were chatting happily in the kitchen, Donna washing and cutting vegetables, Sylvia preparing the lamb for the shepherd's pie, after enjoying an afternoon spent quietly mending fences. They had filled two albums with photos and mementos to show the Doctor, and Donna was quite pleased with the progress they had been made, feeling closer to her mother than she could ever remember.

She was therefore startled out of her reverie when the brash comedy ringtone blared. Grabbing her mobile, she looked over at Sylvia, who tried valiantly to stifle a snicker. Donna mock-glared at her. Punching the 'talk' button, she didn't even get a chance to speak when her ear was assaulted by the Doctor's voice crooning loudly, "DONNAAAA! DonnaDonnaDonnaDonna!"

"Doctor?" she asked, bewildered.

"DONNA! It's MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Donna closed her eyes and groaned. _'Oh, lord. What has he done now?'_ "Doctor, are you alright?"

"Of course, I'm alright," came the joyful response. "I'm better than alright. I'm fantastic! _Molto bene! Bellissimo!_

"What's happened? You sound a little … odd." she asked, keeping her voice calm.

"Not odd, " he replied. "Not even a little Ood." That made him giggle, a sound Donna was sure she had never hear coming from the normally sedate Time Lord. "I've made an incredible discovery, is all."

She _had_ known him to get rather excited by finding something new, but the level of euphoria he was exhibiting was far beyond anything she'd experienced since travelling with him. "What kind of discovery?"

"Well," he began, "I had just finished the magnificent lunch that you so kindly made for me. Thank you, by the way. That was, by far, the best ham and cheese sandwich I have ever had! _Meraviglioso!_"

Donna opened he mouth to interject, but the Doctor just barrelled on. "After that amazing meal, I just _had_ to have a sweet. It was a moral imperative." He snickered at making a pop reference. "So I went to the cupboard and pulled out the tin and ..." He paused for dramatic effect. "No Hob Nobs," he stated solemnly. "Not a one. The tin was empty. Well, when I say empty, I mean it didn't have any Hob Nobs. There _were_ bits of crumbled Jammy Dodger but that just made me sad. And I really wanted a sweet, so I went through the cupboards and looked, and looked, but there was nothing. It's was Mother Hubbard's cupboard all over again. And, before you ask, I was no where near there!"

He took a deep breath and continued. "I had gone through everything and still no sweets. As you can imagine, I was feeling quite disheartened by this time. But then, I remembered something. Something very important."

After a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, Donna realized the Doctor was waiting for her to respond. "What?" she asked, tersely.

He obviously did not hear the tone of her question because he went right on, happy as you please. "I remembered," he replied, dropping his voice, "that I used to have to hide my chocolate biscuits from Rose all the time. Absolutely no boundaries, that one. So I thought, maybe I'd hidden some and forgotten about them. I grabbed a chair and climbed up to look up in the top-most shelves. You know, the ones that no one ever uses because it's a pain in the arse to reach. Well, you'll never believe it. I found some! Okay, they were just digestives – blech! – but biscuits are biscuits, especially when you're desperate. But then, as I was getting the packet down, I saw something. A glint of light shining off something else. Something that had been pushed waaaaay to the back of the shelf. Well, you know how curious I am. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but never the Time Lord!" He giggled at his own joke. "I stretched up and wriggled my fingers until I touched it." He again waited for her to say something. "Well, aren't you going to ask me what I found?"

During his monologue, Donna had gone over and sat down at the kitchen table, holding her mother off with a raised finger. "What did you find?" she asked flatly. She really didn't have to ask. The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach told her exactly what he had found.

"I found the most beautiful green glass bottle. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It's made a gurgly, sloshy sound when I shook it. That intrigued me even more. Can't resist a mystery. I took the bottle over to the table and carefully pried off the stopper. There was a tangy, spicy, yet sweet scent coming from it and, well, you know how I like to taste things. I just had to see what it was. I stuck my finger in the neck of the bottle and tipped it just enough to get a drop on the tip of my finger. Oh, Donna. It was glorious! I poured a bit into my tea and it was _fantastico!_ Better than biscuits! And that's saying something!"

"Doctor, exactly how much did you have?" She was almost afraid of the answer.

She could hear him muttering to himself and he counted. "Well, there was the little bit in the tea, and then I had a cup without the tea, just to taste the difference. And there was the one I had to dunk the biscuits in. Digestives really aren't that bad when dunked in brandy, you know." He paused again. "Um, I think I lost track after six. Maybe seven. Could have been more," he said quietly.

Listening to him babble on, Donna made up her mind. She had to go to him before he did himself an injury. He had been pleasant enough when under the influence of the oldavé leaves, but this was an entirely different situation. She had no idea how alcohol actually affected a Time Lord and, she suspected, neither did he really. And she remembered his vehement warning about Aprixian brandy. Taking a breath to calm herself, she spoke into the mobile. "Doctor, I'm coming back but, before I do, I need you to do something for me, something very important. Okay?"

"Of course, my love. Anything. I'd do anything for you, dear. Anything. For you mean everything to me!"

"Doctor!" she interrupted loudly. "Stop quoting song lyrics and listen to me." His voice tapered off in her ear, and she suspected that, if she hadn't stopped him, he would actually have burst into song. "That's better. Now listen. I'll be over in a little while, but please. Put the bottle back on the counter. Then, I want you to go to the lounge and wait for me. No wandering off. Don't go to the into the garden room, workout room, the lab, or anywhere else. Just the lounge. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?"

"Of course I can," he replied brightly. "Wait for you in the lounge. No wandering off. Do not pass go; do not collect £200."

"That's it. I'll be over shortly." She ended the call and put her elbows on the kitchen table and buried her face in her hands. She sat there for a few moments, collecting herself and deciding what to do.

Sylvia, who had, miraculously, not said a word the entire time, came and sat across from her daughter, drying her hands on a tea towel. "What on Earth was _that_ about?" she asked, sounding more concerned than disapproving.

Donna looked up at her and said, "Oh, Mum. I am so sorry but I have to got back. He's gotten himself into a state and I have to sort it out."

"I gathered that," Sylvia replied. "What's he done now?"

Donna was reluctant to tell her, not wanting to give her any more cause to dislike him. But she deserved an honest answer. "It's partially my fault. A while ago, we went to a convention on some moon or other and, in the cabin we where we stayed, I found a bottle of this alien brandy. I brought it back with me and hid it, or so I thought."

"And he found it." It was a statement, not a question. Donna just nodded. "So he's drunk." Again, a statement.

"Oh, please don't think badly of him. He's not like that. He's never done anything like this before!"

Sylvia, to Donna's surprised, smiled and patted her hand. "Donna, some of my fondest memories of your father are of afternoons sitting in the pub after a West Ham match. Him and his mates, thoroughly in their cups, shouting _'Veni, Vidi, Vici'_ at the tops of their lungs. All men need to let off steam sometimes. Sounds like he does too."

"So you're not angry?" Donna couldn't believe how understanding Sylvia was being.

"Honestly? It makes him seem a little more human, if you ask me." She stood up and motioned to Donna. "You go on, now. Go take care of your young man. Alien." She frowned. "Oh, whatever he is!"

Donna laughed and hugged her. "I know what you mean. I have the same trouble!" Dropping her phone in her pocket, she picked up her jacket and the two photo albums, and started out the kitchen.

"Wait," Sylvia called. "You might as well take this too," she said, handing Donna the finished dessert. "Goodness knows _I_ have no need for an entire spice cake."

Donna took the plate from her. "Thanks, Mum. And I am so sorry. I promise we'll do this again _very_ soon." And with that, she walked toward to back off the house.

Donna made her way across the garden to where the TARDIS stood, wondering how she was going to juggle the two photo books and the cake, and still manage to get out her key. She was therefore quite relieved when the doors swung open at her approach. Smiling at the thoughtfulness of the ship, she greeted her mentally. She entered and, walking into the kitchen, dropped the books on the counter and carefully placed the cake in the refrigerator. "Thanks for the help with the door, love," she said aloud. "Now, where is the silly sod?"

The TARDIS made a noise that could only be interpreted as a snicker. Donna laughed and walked down the corridor past their bedrooms, heading toward the light spilling out from an open door. She approached the lounge and, from where she stood, she could see into the room without being observed. What she saw both delighted and confused her.

The Doctor was sat in the middle of the caramel leather settee, hands folded in his lap, looking very much like a schoolboy waiting for the headmaster. Oddly, he was in his shirtsleeves; his jacket and tie were missing, along with his trainers. Taking a closer look, Donna noticed that his freckles stood out against his paler-than-normal face, and his hair stood up even more wildly than usual. She was immediately concerned.

Stepping into the doorway, she said calmly, "You alright there, Time Boy?"

He looked up and gave her a wan smile. "Better, now." He dropped his eyes to his hands. "I sicked up, not long after I hung up with you. Luckily, I made to the loo. Well, mostly to the loo." He looked down at his stocking feet and then back up at Donna. "Don't worry. The TARDIS and I cleaned up. Didn't want you to come home to that kind of mess."

She strode quickly over to the settee. He moved over to make room for her, and she sat down. Putting her hand to his cheek, she could feel a little residual clamminess. "Oh, my poor Spaceman," she said softly, stroking his cheek. "What on Earth were you thinking? You're the one who told me how dangerous that stuff was."

He took her hand. "It didn't seem to deter you from bringing the bottle back with you, I see," he answered pointedly.

"Well, I certainly didn't intend to drink half the bottle in one sitting," she said, matter-of-factly. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "And I wasn't planning on drinking it alone!" She sat up and gave him a coy smile.

"Oh," was his only reply.

"So what exactly got into you? Surely you couldn't have been _that_ bored!" She settled back into the settee, tucking one leg under her.

He barked out a laugh. "Oh, trust me. After 900 years, I really _can_ get that bored."

Something in his eyes told her he was holding something back. She knew from experience that he tended to use bravado and humour to mask deeper feelings. She reached over and took one of his hands in hers. "That's not what this is about, is it? The whole day. The phone calls, the interruptions. It's something more than just boredom. Am I right, Spaceman?" she asked tenderly.

He gave her a sad, lopsided grin and squeezed her hand. "I can't put anything past you, can I, Earthgirl?" Seeing her smile back and shrug, he sighed deeply and said, "Maybe I was a little bored, at the beginning. You know me. Always moving, never staying still. I was fine as long as I had something to do. But after my swim, as I was walking back to my room to change, I felt there was something wrong, something off. I couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly."

He rubbed the back of his neck, in that nervous gesture he made when he was uncomfortable or unsure. "That's when I called you, asking about coming back for lunch. I had this mad idea that if you were here, everything would sort itself out."

He sighed again. "After we talked, I went into the kitchen, feeling even stranger than before. It was while I was eating that it struck me. The quiet. I never noticed just how quiet the TARDIS is when you weren't around."

"Oi!" Donna exclaimed, indignantly. "Are you calling me loud?!"

The Doctor's eye widened and he stammered quickly, "NO! Oh, no. Certainly not! That was the wrong word. Blimey, I'm rubbish sometimes." He took her hand again and said, sincerely, "Empty. That's what I meant. The ship feeling so empty when you're not here. _**I**_ feel empty when you're not here."

"You mad Martian," she replied, pushing his shoulder playfully. "I'm here now. And I was coming back. So, what's the worry?"

"You're here now," he repeated. "_Now_. But I started thinking, what if she _doesn't_ come back? What do I do then? If I feel this empty when she's just off visiting, how am I going to live when she goes for good." He looked over at her with a panicked expression. "It's a funny old life, in the TARDIS. I told you that once. It's dangerous, chaotic. You said yourself it was terrible the first time we met. It's understandable that you'd tire of the threats and the running and the fear. The thought of you leaving put me into a right state. Then I found the brandy and it helped a little, taking a bit of the panic away."

Donna interrupted him. "Wait just a minute! Go back a bit. Who said anything about wanting to leave?! Why would you assume that?"

He gave her a sad smile and said, "Everybody does. In the end."

"Well, Sunshine," she spat back at him. "You should have realized by now that I'm not _'everybody'_!"

His smile was doleful. "No, you are my Bella Donna. My Beautiful Woman."

She smacked him lightly and said, "Ah, go on with you." Viewing him more carefully, she could still see vestiges of the panic in his eyes. "Is there anything I can say or do to ease your mind?"

He was silent for a long while, so long that Donna began to worry. "Doctor? What is it? Talk to me."

"It's just," he started slowly. "Well, there_ is_ something. But you don't want to do this."

"Stop that right now. Don't you dare try and make my decisions for me!" Donna objected.

"Donna, you don't understand."

"So explain it. Tell me everything and let me make up my own mind." She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I'd do anything for you too, you know."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I know you think that. But this isn't something to be undertaken lightly."

"Do you think I don't know that? I can see how upset you are by the whole idea of … _whatever_. Just start talking."

Realizing she wasn't going to let it go, he leaned into the back of the settee and got comfortable. Taking a deep breath, he began. "I have to tell you a bit about my people, so you understand the significance of what you'd be agreeing to. Time Lords were a stodgy bunch, holding reason and intellect above all else. They believed that strong emotion of any kind was a distraction and a hindrance, bordering on aberration. Well, except for pride. _That_ they had in abundance. Marriages were arranged, for political advantage or familial alliance. Children were loomed and sent off to the Academy at a young age. Lives were spent fulfilling responsibilities of duty and honour. Concepts like love, mercy, compassion were suppressed and practically bred out of us countless generations before I was even born."

He stopped and glanced over at Donna, to gauge her reaction. When he saw in her eyes, not the disgust he expected, but concern and affection, he was encouraged to continue. "You know we were a race of telepaths. We were linked to one another, could hear each other in our minds."

"Wait!" Donna blurted out. "You heard each other's thoughts? All the time? That would drive me mad!"

He smiled. "No, it wasn't like that. It was more of an awareness, a sense of _presence_, rather than thoughts or words. The knowledge that there were others like ourselves in the universe. It was actually rather comforting, in an odd sort of way." His smiled faded slowly. "I never really appreciated until it was gone.'

Donna knew he was referring to the fact that he was the last of his race, and she touched his knee in sympathy. He was struck again by her capacity for empathy, and it made his hearts swell with love for this magnificent Human.

"As I said, love was never was a component in our relationships. Respect, yes. Concern for the well-being of our fellows, yes, Even a sort of fondness, in some cases. But never anything as strong or as powerful as love." He gave her his patented lopsided smile. "That's probably why I'm complete rubbish at it!" He continued before she could counter. "But I digress. In later years, some people formed attachments to one another. Husbands and wives. Even close friends."

He paused for a moment as memories surfaced. He closed his eyes and pushed them back, not ready to face them. He blinked as his mind calmed. "These attachments,: he went on, " were oftentimes strengthened by creating a link between the two people. This link, this mental connection, allowed them to feel each other, sometimes to even communicate telepathically across large distances."

"You mean like how I always know where the TARDIS is? And can talk to her?"

He stared at her in disbelief. "You talk to the TARDIS? Mentally?"

"Yeah. And I can hear her too, sometimes. Mostly it's just feelings, but once in a while a thought or two comes through. Been doing it for ages, really."

"Remarkable. Absolutely incredible." He was stunned by this revelation. "Companions usually don't take that much interest in her.

"Like I said, I'm not everybody. So this link. That's what you want to do? Create this link with me, so you'll always feel my presence? That doesn't sound so bad." Donna asked sincerely. "If that's what you need, then do it."

He was overwhelmed at her complete faith in him and her unselfish concern for his care and comfort. But he felt he had to tell her the whole truth, to let her know exactly what it meant to link minds. "It's a little more involved than that, love. Once we're linked, I'll be able to see into your mind."

"Yeah, I get it. Like on the Oodsphere."

"No, not like that. Well, a little like that but more complicated. That was just me using the tip of a finger to open up a tiny part of your mind in order for you to hear the Ood through me. This is more like plunging in a whole fist and grabbing on." He saw her brow crease as she took in his words. "It's a two-way link, Donna, not one-sided like before. Do you understand? Until I can teach you how to shield properly, I'll be able to see your memories, hear your thoughts, feel your emotions. But more significantly, you'll see and hear and feel mine. You'll see all the horrors of my long, pathetic life. You'll know the terrible things I've done, learn exactly why I've been called The Oncoming Storm." He dropped his head in shame.

Donna immediately moved closer and put her arms around him, drawing him tightly to her. "Doctor, I love you. There isn't anything you can tell me, anything you have done, that will change that. I think I understand how this link will work, and I want to do this. Not just for you. For _us_."

He slowly pulled out of her arms and sat up. "There's one last thing you need to know. This link, this bond, is permanent. It can never be broken or undone." He looked her straight in the eye. "You Humans have an expression _'Till death do us part'_. Well, that's exactly it. We will be bonded until one of us dies."

He leaned back, watching her, waiting to see her reaction. He wasn't sure what he expected. He knew what he _hoped_. But the blush that slowly crept up her neck and face was the last thing he imagined. He stared at her, confused.

Donna lowered her eyes and gave him a small, shy smile. "Doctor?" she asked timidly. "Are you _**proposing**_?"

His eyes grew wide as the implications of his words coalesced in his mind. "Yes," he replied slowly. "I suppose in Human terms that is exactly what it would be." He looked up at her and grinned widely. "Shall I do it properly?" He jumped off the settee and knelt on one knee before her. Taking her hand in his, he asked solemnly, "Donna Eileen Noble, would you do me the honour of becoming my bond-mate, my wife?"

She looked down at him and smiled sweetly. "Before I answer, I have a question. Will I be gaining a husband, but losing a best mate? Because I'm rather fond of him and I don't want let him go."

He stood up quickly and gathered her into a warm embrace. "He's not going anywhere, I can assure you. The greatest treasure in the universe is friends who have grown into lovers. I love you, La Mia Bella Donna. Marry me."

"I love you, Time Lord. Marry me."

The kiss they shared was exquisitely tender and infinitely passionate, and the TARDIS sang along with the universe with joy.

One week later, the TARDIS was nestled happily in the garden of the Mott-Noble home, having just delivered her Thief and their Lady into the arms of their family. She listened in as the they shared the news of their upcoming nuptials. She smiled as the Star-Gazer whooped and danced in celebration, and laughed at her Thief's embarrassment when the Mother, stern-faced and disapproving, suddenly hugged him and called him 'Son'.

The TARDIS hummed contently to herself as she went about her work, enlarging her Thief's private space to accommodate her Lady's things. But it was the door connecting to the new room that gave her the most pleasure. It was a room that would remain her secret, hidden for several more weeks until her Thief and her Lady discovered the necessity for it. She was content to wait, to let them find out this source of delight and wonder on their own.


End file.
